Baiko is the Japanese name of Sensei Astrid Stadt, Ikebana master of the Sogetsu School of Japan. Baiko means plum blossom, a very revered flower in Japan. White to rose in color, the plum blossom appears in early February, a harbinger of spring. The Japanese admire it for its resilience against the cold of winter. Baiko is a symbol of perseverance in the face of adversity. Astrid received the name Baiko when the Sogetsu School awarded her the title Sensei. All the prints of her creations are stamped with her Baiko seal.

A FEW NOTES ABOUT IKEBANA:

Ikebana, the Japanese art of flower arranging, originated during the 6th century in Japan with the introduction of Buddhism from China. It was the custom to place floral offerings in front of altars to honor the Buddha and the souls of the dead. Over time, these floral offerings evolved into floral arrangements designed to express the harmony between man and nature and between spirit and matter. By the 13th century, the practice of Ikebana became a form of meditation for Zen Buddhist priests. In 1927, a radical new approach to Ikebana was launched by Sofu Teshigahara, the late founder of the Sogetsu School. Teshigahara broke with rigid classical rules and emphasized the artist's freedom of expression. He said, "Ikebana is not just about sticking a flower into a vase: it is about the love and need of the artist to create beautiful forms."

Baiko is a featured artist on Imagekind and her work was featured on the ArtBlog, EmptyEasel. You can read the review of her Ikebana Art here.

You can see more photographs of Baiko's creations on Zen-Images,
the website designed by husband and photographer JW.